Welcome to the Every Child Counts Symposium. This online schedule is being updated daily. Check back for updates to session dates/times and locations. We hope you’ll join us in Anaheim in February. More information on the event can be found here.
Mindfulness means being aware moment-to-moment, without judgement of one’s bodily sensations, thoughts, emotions, and consciousness, according to Len Riskin. Mindful communication helped us develop self-understanding, understanding others, express compassion and empathy, and facilitate collaboration. With several decades of combined experience in educational leadership, special education law, and dispute resolution, the presenters will apply mindfulness principles to transform difficult IEP meetings into collaborative partnerships. Participants will learn to effectively: (1) prepare for adversarial IEP meetings; (2) empathize with angry parents, and with dedicated staff members, to facilitate their common goal of educating children; and (3) make a defensible offer of FAPE, even when they anticipate parent refusal.
